1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to an image processing apparatus such as a Multi Function Printer (MFP) combining, for example, a copy machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, and a scanner.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the developments of reading apparatuses using a line sensor made of a CCD photoelectric conversion device and toner writing devices using laser irradiation, digital copying machines capable of copying from digitized image data have appeared to end the era of analog copying machines.
Since appearing, digital copying machines continue to be developed as the compatibility with other apparatuses has been improved. Not only the copy function but other functions such as the facsimile function, printing function, and scanning function are combined in the digital copying machine. As a result of the development, the digital copying has been called a Multi Function Printer (MFP).
With the increase in the capacity and the decrease in the cost of storage devices such as a HDD, the increase in speed and use of communication technologies such as a network, the increase in performance of CPUs, and the development of technologies concerning the MFP such as a technology of digital image data (compression technology), the number of functions included in MFPs has increased and a greater variety of functions has been included in MFPs.
MFPs have begun to be used in different and various ways. For example, there are small-sized MFPs located next to a personal computer (PC) as a pair and an operator can easily use any of the facsimile, printer, and scanner functions of the MFP. Further, there are middle-sized MFPs shared by plural persons in a division or section, meeting certain productivity targets and having functions such as sorting, punching, and stapling. Further, there are large-sized MFPs providing high productivity and high quality and many functions, or used in a specialized division providing centralized copy services for the entire company, or used in a company engaged in copying and relevant businesses.
Though MFPs have been diversified from small-sized to large-sized, while some functions are commonly used among those classes, some other functions may be strongly requested for a specific class of MFPs. For example, generally, post processing functions performed on paper after a plotting process such as punching, stapling, and folding, and digital filing process are in demand for a large-sized MFP. Enhancing functions of, for example, Internet FAX and PC-FAX and high quality image printing using dedicated paper for personal use are in demand for small-sized MFPs.
To meet such different and diversified user demands for MFPs, systems dedicated to each of the classes have been conventionally provided and sold.
However, the importance of information value in business fields has been already acknowledged, and information is required to be transmitted not only faster, more accurately and securely but also more plainly and effectively. With the increase in speed and use of communication technologies, the increase in capacity and the decrease in cost and size of storage devices, and the increase in performance of PCs, new technologies capable of handing digital data effectively have appeared. Accordingly, new functions are desired to be added to or integrated into MFPs capable of handling digital image data, one of the digital data forms.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No: 2002-111988
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No: 2003-224716
As a result of the increase in capacity and the decrease in cost of storage devices and the integration and development of the MFP's functions of generating digital image data from a paper draft, the number of operations of recording and storing digital image data in the MFP and of re-outputting the data when necessary, has increased lately.
However, there arises a problem in that the re-output data may not meet the exact requirements when the data are re-output. This is because, in many cases, a long period of time has passed since the data were originally recorded and stored and thus the status of the operator who re-outputs the data, or the requirements have been changed. As a result, it may be difficult to meet the latest requirements when data are re-output from a conventional MFP when the data were recorded long ago.
For example, it may not be possible to perform fax transmission of the data that have been stored in an MFP using the copy function of the MFP. Even if possible, there may still be problems, for example, the image quality may be greatly changed and the productivity may be greatly lowered.
Further, in a case where image data have been recorded in a MFP by reducing the size from two pieces of A4-sized draft data into one piece of A4-sized data using a copy functions and then the stored two pieces of A4-sized draft data are desired to be plotted out on two pieces of A4-sized transfer paper, it may not be possible. Even if possible, there may still be problems, for example, the image quality is greatly changed and the productivity is greatly lowered.
According to the Patent Document 1, there is provided a second image processing unit performing image processing on recorded and stored image data. However, the object of the second image processing unit is to increase the processing speed but there is no description of any method of reusing the stored image data.
Further, according to the Patent Document 2, in a case where recorded and stored image data are to be output from another apparatus, the image data are corrected based on the predetermined characteristics when the data are output to the apparatus. However, in this configuration, the correction is performed after the data are stored, thus there is a problem that the efficiency (throughput) is not very good when the stored image data are being input and output. Further, since the object of the configuration is to reduce the variations due to the differences among apparatuses, there is still a problem when a request regarding re-output, for example, an output destination is changed (e.g. copy function to fax transmission function).